The Charnel Rose, Senlin

Conrad Aiken’s collection of poetry “The Charnel Rose: Senlin, a Biography, and Other Poems” is engrossing. Senlin, the main character, appears in many poems, conveying a sense of mystery and melancholy. Is he a tiny man, reddish-haired, staring thoughtfully while lighting his pipe? Does he travel across towns, woods, and mountains, leaving signs of his passage behind? Aiken invites readers to reflect on the mysterious Senlin and the world around him through his poetic investigation of identity, existence, and the human condition.